1st EORTC Cancer Survivorship Summit

After the shock of a diagnosis of cancer, increasing numbers of survivors simply want to get their lives back to normal. Unfortunately, some are hampered by late effects of disease or treatment: cognitive impairment, fatigue, cardiovascular complications, and so on. In addition, many find society's response to their diagnosis so unhelpful that, even after recovery, they find it difficult to hold down their job, or to take out a mortgage. Going on holiday can cause insurmountable problems.

The Survivorship Summit (30-31 January, 2014; Brussels, Belgium) brought together patients, clinicians, researchers, insurers, bankers and policy makers. It aimed to address the needs of cancer survivors and covered a spectrum of research issues in survivorship.

This EJC News Focus is devoted to the practical and financial problems patients face. Speakers Isabelle Lebrocquy (cancer survivor, social entrepreneur), Krish Shastri (InsureCancer), Michel Vermaerke (Febelfin), John Turner (Swiss Re) and Françoise Meunier (EORTC) tell Helen Saul that the situation for cancer survivors is improving. But the video also includes a stark warning about possible consequences of future legislation.